You may need surgery when your knee has structural damage. You may also need it if your knee pain has not responded to other methods of pain relief for structural damage or other conditions, such as osteoarthritis. If you choose surgery, an anesthesiologist will prevent you from feeling pain during the operation.
Knee pain that lasts for more than a couple weeks. Knee pain that keeps you awake at night. Knee aches during and after exercise. Knee pain that doesn't respond to over-the-counter medications, like acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it's accompanied by: Significant swelling. Redness. Tenderness and warmth around the joint.
Knee Anatomy
While any of these components could incur an injury, the 3 most common injuries are patellar tendonitis, a ligament injury (ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL), or a meniscus (cartilage) injury.
Complex knee surgery, kneecap surgery, total knee replacement and partial knee replacement are by far the four most common orthopedic procedures performed on the knee.
Knee arthroscopy is a very common minimally invasive surgical procedure. Minimally invasive procedures require smaller incisions (cuts) than traditional surgery. The incisions are about the size of a keyhole. To treat injuries or structural problems, your healthcare provider inserts tiny tools through another incision.
When is surgery necessary? You may be offered knee replacement surgery if: you have severe pain, swelling and stiffness in your knee joint and your ability to move the joint is significantly reduced. your knee pain is so severe that it interferes with your quality of life and sleep.
ACL tear versus meniscus tear symptoms
After a meniscus tear, it's often quite difficult to fully extend or bend the knee. There can also be a “locking” sensation within the joint and reduced mobility as a result. This doesn't tend to occur with ACL tears.
Swelling or stiffness. Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee. Difficulty straightening your knee fully. Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it.
Red flags in physical examination
For those who are symptomatic can present with discoloration, pain, warmth, swelling, and tenderness of the affected extremity (11).
Stage 4 (Severe). Severe osteoarthritis means that the cartilage is almost gone. Your knee is stiff, painful and possibly immobile. You might need surgery.
Without rehabilitation, the knee is highly susceptible to re-injury. All told, however, only 2 to 5 percent of knee injuries require surgical treatment.
Often when the cause of bad knee pain is left untreated it can lead to further injury and serious complications. Your knee may swell, become unstable, lock up, and/or develop a deformity. Unbearable knee pain will not go away until you finally seek treatment.
There is often sharp pain when you twist or squat. Symptoms may go away but can come back from overuse or when you do activities that involve twisting. The pain may come and go over a period of years if the tear isn't treated. Larger tears usually cause more pain and immediate swelling and stiffness.
Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
In the case of meniscus tears, some people think the injury will heal over time on its own. But the truth is that there are different types of meniscus tears — and some tears won't heal without treatment. If your tear is on the outer one-third of the meniscus, it may heal on its own or be repaired surgically.
An MRI test can tell whether you have a meniscus tear or other related injuries, and it can help with treatment decisions. Arthroscopy can identify a meniscus tear and treat it at the same time. It can also see if you have other injuries.
You do not want to have surgery on your knee joint if what you truly are experiencing is a condition in your back. If you are curious to know whether your back is the cause of your knee pain, there are signs to look for, such as hamstring tightness, bunion formation, and if you are experiencing both back and knee pain.
There is no set age cutoff for a knee replacement, as each patient's case is different. Before surgical intervention becomes an option, other less invasive treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and physical therapy should be explored.
Full recovery from meniscus surgery can take anywhere from six weeks to three months. Your care after surgery may involve: Crutches to take stress off the knee as it heals. Knee brace to stabilize the joint as you recover.